Preparing the new home
Your new home may not be exactly how you want it, and it may even need some
urgent repairs or TLC. Obviously,
if the house is going to be empty for a couple of days before you move in, this is
less likely to be a problem. However, most of these jobs are much more hassle to do when you
have moved in already although you may need to check with the current owners to get
access to do major jobs, and their solicitor may not be happy with letting you do
anything structural. Remember that some jobs, such as having your boiler serviced,
are not just cosmetic - they may even save your life.
Builders
If you want to make changes to the home, or if you have to make repairs to it to satisfy
your lender, then you will need to get the builders in. Supervising them can be a problem if
your new home is some way away,
but this is better than having to live with the noise, mess and dust. Getting the place
rewired is much simpler if all of the carpets are up, as is fitting or replacing central
heating or major plumbing works.
Decorators
Although it can be difficult to plan your interior decorations without any of your
furniture in, if you can do so, now is also a good time to change the decor without
having to heave everything about. Think about having a
painting party to get the worst of it done.
Carpets
Once you have got the major changes out of the way, now is the time to think about
replacing the carpets, or having them professionally cleaned. This can be particularly
important if the previous owners had a collection of large long haired dogs and cats
and heavy smoking habits and you have neither. Bear in mind that a property that used
to be home to a cat or dog that has been closed up for a few months may still have flea
eggs waiting for a mammal to move in.
Cleaners
Some of the more spring-clean type jobs are best done when the home is empty, such as
carpet shampooing and damp-dusting the walls. It is worth considering getting a
professional cleaning company in to give the place a good going over.
Appliances
It is usually a good idea to have any appliances that you are buying with the property
overhauled for safety, efficiency and longevity. This particularly applies to central
heating boilers as the previous owners may not have kept them regularly serviced. Remember
that Carbon Monoxide from poorly adjusted central heating boilers are estimated to kill
at least 300 people a year in the UK alone. Check out the Ten Step list at the
Carbon Monoxide Kills website.
Servicing boilers and other appliances such as washing machines should improve their
efficiency and at the same time extend the useful life you will get out of them
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